Heading your way, again-Mission 2011

Here is your first heads up, and I am giving everyone WAY advanced notice!

Following up on our prior trip in 2010, the members of the Patsy Douglas Youth Empowerment Foundation’s Diabetes Medical Mission will be returning to St.Vincent in March 2011.{{more}} The dates of our trip will be March 20-26, but the actual clinics will be held on the 21-25. Similar to last year’s group, this year members of the team will hail from both Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland and Roper St.Francis Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina.

Ann-Marie Lee-Wilkins, a native Vincentian, heads this mission, and for her many efforts towards improving the lives of people in both Baltimore and St.Vincent and the Grenadines, Ann Marie was recently awarded the prestigious Martin Luther King Community Service Award, at Johns Hopkins Medical Center. Another Vincentian daughter of whom we are very, very proud!

We received a tremendous response from clinics and patients during our trip last year, and we are all very much looking forward to this again. So, be sure to keep your ears to the ground for information about where participating clinics will be held, and specifics on what services will be provided there. As it was previously, a strong emphasis will be placed on appropriate diabetic foot screening, in order to prevent future amputations. In addition, a large component of this year’s trip will be geared towards encouraging monitoring of blood sugar levels, improving nutrition and eating habits, as well as general lifestyle changes that can decrease complications from diabetes and related diseases like heart disease and stroke.

I would like to stress that this mission trip is clearly a small part of a big effort. The problem of diabetes and its related complications in St.Vincent and the Grenadines is a huge one. We are honoured to be able to provide what we can, but the lion’s share of the work lies with the medical teams based in St.Vincent and the Grenadines year round, and WITH YOU THE PATIENT, who needs to take a hold of this disease as best you can. We will all give you the tools you need, and then it is your job to use them as best as you can.

Our hope is that our concentrated efforts during that week, combined with the continued dedicated efforts from your locally based medical teams, the diabetes and hypertension clubs, and all other health information groups that serve you year round, will help move everyone towards the goal of less diabetes, and fewer complications.

Mark your calendars! March 21-25. Listen for the radio announcements and keep reading the SEARCHLIGHT for more information. I encourage you to send emails, as well as your suggestions about what you would like to see happen during this mission trip. We are looking forward to seeing you soon.

Anita Ramsetty, MD endodocs@endocrinehelp.com

Medical Director Endocrine Care Group

www.endocrinehelp.com

Tel: 843-798-4227